


Affectionate

by Imzadi_Deanna



Series: Star Trek Bingo 2020 [5]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: F/F, Fem!Trek, Femslash, First Kiss, Genderbend
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-31
Updated: 2020-08-31
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:13:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26017834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Imzadi_Deanna/pseuds/Imzadi_Deanna
Summary: Jim leaned her head in, pressing a quick kiss just below her ear, before darting away. Len’s hand on her hip falling away at the shock
Relationships: James T. Kirk/Leonard "Bones" McCoy
Series: Star Trek Bingo 2020 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1882945
Comments: 2
Kudos: 17





	Affectionate

At first, Jim’s easy affections startled her. Sure, she had friends back in Georgia who were also overly affectionate, in their own way. They would grab her arms too often, demand a hug every single time they met, or parted.

But Jim.

Jim took it to a whole new level. It’s like she had to have part of her body touching Len at any given moment.

It was even worse if she was in a good mood.

“Bones,” Jim’s voice echoed down the hallway, warning her in time to tense her shoulders as Jim slung an arm around her neck, pressing her weight into Len’s side, forcing her to wrap an arm around Jim’s waist to recenter them. If her hand cupped Jim’s hip more than necessary that was nobody’s business but her own. And Jim’s, if she didn’t like it.

“You’ll never guess who agreed to let me skip the intro class for Xenobotany.” Jim said excitedly, feet stepping in time with Len’s so they could still get to her next class. 

“Well my first guess would be the head of the department. But feel free to say differently.” She let the sarcasm drip in her voice, hip bumping roughly into Jim’s as they walked.

“Easy guess.” Jim rolled her eyes, head almost bumping into Lenora’s with the movement. “This means we’ll be able to take the advanced botany course together.”

“Oh, joy.” She fought to keep the sarcasm in her voice, the smile giving away how pleased she actually was. Maybe Jim couldn’t see it.

“I can see the smile.” Damn. Jim laughed, loudly. “See ya, Bones.”

Jim leaned her head in, pressing a quick kiss just below her ear, before darting away. Len’s hand on her hip falling away at the shock.

The shock followed her throughout class, her skin feeling odd where Jim had pressed her lips against it, almost like there was now a physical mark- even though Lenora had checked and there hadn’t been any sign of what happened.

She could have chalked it up to one of Jim’s strange impulses, except she did it again that same night- leaning over the back of their couch and planting a loud, over exaggerated, kiss against her temple, lips smacking against her skin and pushing her head a few inches with the force, Jim’s other hand coming up to ruffle her hair before darting away- avoiding the slap Len had sent in her direction. 

She pretended she couldn’t feel her face burning as she brushed the hair back up out of her eyes.

The next time it happened- Jim rolling over and leaning over her while they were relaxing on the academy fields between classes, a quick kiss pressed to Lenora's forehead as their sunglasses clicked together before she was up and moving onto her next class- Lenora decided that . . . She just wasn’t going to say anything. 

It’s not like she really cared. It didn’t hurt her. It didn’t make her feel gross.

It was. . . Kind of nice. 

The next day, when they were sitting in the mess and Jim went to leave, leaning in to press a kiss to Len’s cheek, she tilted her head. Just enough that Jim didn’t have to twist her own. 

She didn’t look as Jim pulled away, but she swears she could feel her smiling against her face before she left. Out of the corner of her eye, Jim even seemed to have a skip in her step. 

It became a thing with them, after that. Jim being her usual affectionate self, then when she leaves planting a kiss on Len’s face, always varying- usually whatever part she tilted towards her.

It wouldn’t have been bad, except . . .

“Oh, Jim.” Lenora wiped at her face, “why’d’ya have to start wearing lipstick?”

“Makes me look more professional.” Jim shrugged, arm still looped around Len’s shoulder, not moving to help.

“Bright purple makes you look more professional?” Len said sarcastically. “And I suppose the blue you were wearing yesterday was also for professional reasons.”

“Matched my eyes.” Jim said simply. “How’d you know it was blue?”

“Cause you kissed me, then I got it all over my hands and my PADD.” That had been embarrassing, the professor had pointed it out during his lecture. 

“You love it.” Jim kissed her again, almost in the exact same spot Len had just spent moments cleaning, before she darted away.

Lenora started to carry makeup remover in her bag at all times. 

After a while, Lenora couldn’t remember a time Jim didn’t shower her with easy affection. 

And she couldn’t remember how she ever really went without it. She couldn’t imagine Jim not pressing up against her, sharing her space. Whether that be in their dorm, or sitting as close as possible at meals. An arm thrown over her shoulders, Jim’s face pressed close to hers as she’d talk almost directly In Len’s ear, a conversation just between the two of them.

The kisses changed, too. They weren’t just quick presses of her lips against the first spot she could reach before she darted away. They became ways of saying hello, a burst of affection, sometimes seemingly random, or when Lenora had made her throw her head back and laugh loudly. Those were her favourite kisses.

Especially when Jim would bring her hand up and cup the other side of her face when she did it, the kisses more often than not pressed to her cheeks now, running up and down the side of her face- it wasn’t uncommon for Lenora, despite her best efforts, to have some sort of bright colouring adorning her face. She’s glad she didn’t wear makeup herself. Dreading the thought of how difficult it would be to remove Jim’s lipstick and reapply her own foundation. 

She was lost in thought, not fully registering when Jim kissed her goodbye. Nyota sitting down across from her after Jim left the mess.

“Oh, you’ve smuggled your lipstick.” Nyota pointed on her own face just to the side of her mouth. Len reached up and quickly began to wipe it away.

“Ain’t my lipstick.” She grumbled, reaching into her bag to grab the wipes. How the hell was she almost finished the packet already.

“Oh, right.” Nyota said in an accurate southern drawl, mocking Lenora. “Just Jennifer marking her territory, again.”

“She’s not marking her territory.” Lenora spluttered. “She’s just affectionate is all.”

“Yeah, with you.” Nyota rolled her eyes.

‘With everyone, you saw how she was hangin’ off gaila the other day.” Lenora pretended the spike of jealousy that coursed through her wasn’t there.

“She had her in a headlock.”

“That’s affection.” 

“You’re getting defensive. Why are you getting defensive?” Nyota rested her elbow on the table, leaning close with an amused expression on her face. “Jim’s only affectionate with you.”

“No way.”

“Yeah, you don’t see her other friends constantly covered in her lipstick do you?”

“Well I don’t make a habit of checking people for lipstick marks in between my busy schedule.” 

“Think about it.” With that cryptic comment, Nyota was gone. The mess was a lot emptier than it had been, leaving Lenora to her thoughts.

Ok, so she was more affectionate with Lenora than anyone else. Big deal. They were best friends. They were roommates, of course they were close. And so what if Jim was more affectionate with her than anyone else.

The warm feeling that rose up inside of Lenora didn’t have to mean anything. It certainly didn’t mean Jim meant anything by it. 

It didn’t mean that Jim wanted to take the affection any further. Didn’t mean she wanted Lenora to kiss her back. Didn’t mean she wanted Lenora to touch her in a less platonic way.

Did it?

Her thoughts continued to spiral, conclusions being reached- and then thrown away as doubt creeped in. 

The day passed quickly, Lenora not being able to concentrate the rest of the day. 

“Hey, Bones,” Jim greeted, the door to their room sliding open. Lenora grunted from the couch, holovid on but her thoughts not on it.

Jim walked over, throwing her bag down before putting her hand on Len’s thigh.Jim was leaning in, head coming down but moving to the side of her face, making eye contact as she went to kiss just to the side of Lenora’s lips, bones knew Jim would catch the corner of her lips, just like she had done the last several times.

Not allowing herself to think too much, Lenora moved her head just enough so their lips met instead. 

Jim pulled away an inch, big blue eyes too close for Lenora to see anything but shock in them. She felt the cold creeping feeling of doubt rising up under her skin, an apology on her lips- instead of Jim’s. 

Before she could get a word out, Jim smiled. Pressing her lips back to Lenora’s, her other arm coming up to wrap around her and pulling her closer. 

Later, after more kisses. They would talk. They would confess. They would kiss some more.

Then, Lenora would pass by the mirror, realise the conversation that had changed the course of their lives together, had been done while they both were covered in red lipstick.

Jim promised to no longer kiss her while wearing lipstick.

She did not keep this promise.


End file.
